Road roller frame means for protecting motors and radiators from dust



June I, 1948. w c. F. GREINERQ ROAD ROLLER FRAME MEANS FOR PROTECTING MOTORS AND RADIATORS FROM DUST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27. 1946 N N N E x m W M WN'QMM June 1943- c. F. GREINER 3 ROAD RQLLER FRAME MEANS FOR PROTECTING MOTORS AND RADIATORS PRO DUST Filed Sept. 27. 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 I I, v x 4 Patented June 1, 1948 orrics ROAD ROLLER FRAME MEANS FOR rao- 'rnc'rmo MOTORS AND aanmroas mom DUST Carl F. Greiner, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The Bufl'alo-Springfleld Roller Co.,'Springfleld, Ohio, a corporation oi Ohio Application September 27, 1948, Serial No. 899,893

9 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in road roller frames, and the principal object thereof is to provide a box type frame for road rollers of the tandem or 3-wheel types or the like which will be of simple design while having transverse and longitudinal reinforcing members located so as to not interfere with other elements of the machine.

Another object of the invention to to provide a roadroller frame of the above described box type in which a transverse cross member is provided at the front end of the frame so positioned, with respect to the other elements of the machine, that it serves as a dust and dirt baflie and protector for the water cooling radiator of the engine or prime mover.

A further object of the invention is to provide longitudinal reinforcing members for the frame which will permit the upper portions of the main side plates to be cut away at strategic points, to permit easy access to the various other elements contained within the frame of the machine.

Road rollers of the tandem and 3-whee1 types have heretofore been manufactured with their engines disposed at the front of the frame adjacent to and immediately behind the steering roll, and with the radiator of the engine disposed between the front roll and engine, the air intake to the radiator being through the open front end of the fame. Such construction permits dust and dirt to be thrown or drawn through the radiator from around. the steering roll. Moreover such front openings prevent proper reinforcement of a critical section of the frame. Such frames have heretofore not beenproperly designed to withstand severe strains, and the few reinforcing channels that have been used were not placed properly to yield the best frame strength or rigidity, either in location or in position.

In tandem and other road rollers heretofore made, the engines have been set on the longitudinal axis of the roller, the radiator being placed directly behind the steering roll. Hot and dirty air is drawn from around the steering roll through on opening in the front of the frame, introducing most of the dust and dirt from the steering roll and roll scrapers directly into the engine compartment. It-is obvious that the radiator and air cleaner will quickly become clogged by such an arrangement and the efficiency of the cooling system impaired. Moreover, the engine compartment becomes fouled with dirt and grit. This increases the wear on all moving parts and (Cl. ism-2o) adds greatly to maintenance costs. Where itis particularly noticeable is on the complicated linkages of these rollers. The dirty air that passes through the radiator'is drawn through the air'cleaner, necessitating frequent servicing of the cleaner in order to avoid damage to the engine. Moreover, heat from the hotmix coming through the front opening of an already machine'emciency.

According to'my present invention the front end of the frame immediately behind the steering roll is completely enclosed by a heavy plate, which plate not only seals the front but also 'stifiens the frame. Clean air for cooling the radiator and engine is drawn into the radiator through an opening in the top of the frame instead of through an opening directly behind the steering roll and steering roll scraper, my arrangement thus maintaining the engine compartment clean and maintaining the-efllciency of the cooling system throughout the life of the machine.

I I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one 25 practical embodiment thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same: and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of a prior art" machine, showing the main frame and the relative positions of the main elements such as the engine, transmission, radiator, etc.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a road roller according to my invention, showing the improved main frame and the relative position of the main elements as well as the novel longitudinal and transverse reinforcing members of the frame.

Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section through the road roller frame shown inFig. 2, showing in dot and dash lines the relative position of the engine, transmission, radiator, and the aforementioned reinforcing members.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig.3. a

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my air intake opening for the radiator in the top of the frame.

In the prior art road roller, illustrated in Fig. 60 1, the side frames I carry at the front a bearing 2 for the steering yoke 3, which carries the steering roll 4; while the rear end of the side frames carry the axle sections 5 for the drive wheels 8, the steering axles 5 being driven by the motor 1 arranged between the side frames I adjacent the clogged heating system decreases further the I stiffness.

being recessed as at In to accommodate the steerin: roll 4; and the front of the frame being open. The radiator I for the-motor I is located between the side frames I immediately behind the steering the radiator l, the air being drawn by suction fan- II, from the area of the steering roll 4 directly into the radiator a in the'direction of the arrows K (Fig. 1). It can be readily seen that the air in this area directly behind the steering roll 4 will carry dirt and dust distributed or picked up by the steering roll 4 directly to the radiator 4. Also dirt and dust scraped of! roll 4 by scrapers l4l5 for the steering roll 4 is likewise carried by the air currents X directly to radiator 4. The air drawn into the radiator l is thus taken from the least clean area around the machine, and the radiator I soon becomes clogged with dirt, and its efficiency impaired. This necessitates frequent diillcult cleaning of the radiator to avoid overheating of the engine with resultant damage. Likewise, much dirt and grit passes through the .radiator fins and is deposited in the engine and transmission compartment, increasing the wear on moving parts and adding greatly to maintenance costs.

Fig. 2 illustrates a road roller according to my invention, and similar parts in Fig. 2 are similarly numbered. In this construction the front ends of the side frames I are recessed as at .Ia (as in Fig. 1) to permit operation of the steering roll 4.

' Along the bottom of the side frames I are channels I8, preferably secured by welding or the like,

to the inner sides of the frames along the bottoms throughout the major portion of the length of the side frames, the channels being interconnected by cross channel ll adjacent their rear ends, and connected by a cross channel it at their front ends, the cross channel It being thus disposed at the lower end of the recesses Ia of the side frames, and the channels i8I'|-ll materially reinforcing the side frames I.

- 3 steering wheel 4, the front ends of the frames In this prior art construction the air to the radiator.

According to my invention I also provide a curved plate l9 rigidly secured between the side f-rames I along the recessed portions la, the same being secured thereto by welding or the like, and the curved plate I9 serving as an additional reinforcing member for the front of the frame while at the same time closing the front end of the frame to prevent dirt and dust from steering roll 4 and scrapers I4 and I! being drawn into the radiator I as is drawn in the "prior art" machine shown in Fi 1, plate I! also acting as a transverse frame member adding greatly to the frames For the purpose of obtaining access to the lower portion of the radiator 8 and front end of the engine I, I preferably provide an opening I911 radiator I so that air for cooling the engine may enter the radiator from the opening in the top of the frame between the radiator and the rear ends of the plates 2 l 22, in the direction of the arrows Y. (Figs. 2 and 5) It will be noted that since the reinforcing plate I 9 also seals the front end of the frame, the air drawn to the radiator I by fan I2 is taken from the top of the machine where the air is clean,

instead of from around the front roll 4 and lb; and an ornamental radiator cover 23 having.

a grill 23a is secured to the front end of the cover lb, the same resting upon a plate 24 (Fig. 5),

which extends between the tops of the side frames I, and is provided with holes for receiving the hold-down bolts 25 of the ornamental cover 23, plate 24 terminating short of the frame member 2i, thus permitting the air intake to follow the lines YY in Fig. 5 in passing through the opening in the top of the frame to the radiator 4.

The problem of keeping the cooling radiator and engine compartment clean has long been unsolved in road roller design. Heretofore, all frames were provided with an open front, permit-, ting dust and dirt to be drawn into the radiator from around the steering roll. In designs heretofore made it was believed that only a few conventional channel type or angle type cross members such as l0l| (Fig. 1) could be used and their location was believed to be limited so that they would not interfere with the free flow of Consequently, the cross members were not placed to yield the best frame rigidity or strength.

With my construction, however the curved plate I8 serves not only to exclude the dirt and dust but also greatly adds to the strength of the frame while not impairing the free flow of clean air from the top of the frame to the radiator 4.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a road roller or the like, a frame having an overhanging front end and including spaced side plates provided with arcuate recesses in their front lower corners to accommodate a steering roll iournaled in the overhanging front end of the frame, and having a motor radiator housed between the side frames in rear of and adjacent the said recesses; an arcuate cross plate connecting the side plates coextensive with the recesses to close the lower front end of the frame; and a horizontally disposed cross plate connecting the tops of the side plates at the overhanging front end of the frame to close the upper front end of the frame. said horizontal cross plate terminating short of the said radiator, thereby providing an air intake opening at the top of the frame for the passage of clean air to the radiator.

2. In a road roller as set forth in claim 1, said arcuate cross plate having an access opening therein; and a removable cover plate across said opening.

3. In a road roller as set forth in claim 1, said radiator extending above the top of the side plates; an arched cover plate connecting the tops of the side. plates in rear of the radiator; a second horizontal cross plate connecting the tops of the side Plates in advance of and adjacent to the radiator but spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned horizontal cross plate; and a radiator cover and grill forming a continuation of the arched the frame, and having a motor radiator housed between the side frames in rear of and adjacent the said recesses, a cross bar connecting the lower ends of the side plates at the lower ends of the recesses; an arcuate cross plate connecting the side plates coextensive with the recesses to close'the lower front end of the frame; and a horizontally disposed cross plate connecting the tops of the side plates at the overhanging front end of the frame to close the upper front end of the frame, said horizontal cross plate terminating short of the said radiator, thereby providing an air intake opening at the top of the frame for the passage of clean air to the radiator.

5. In a road roller as set forth in claim 4, said arcuate cross plate having an access opening therein; and a removable cover plate acrosssaid opening.

6. In a road roller as set forth in claim 4,.

said radiator extending above the top of the side plates; an arched cover plate connecting the tops of the side plates in rear of the radiator; a sec-i ond horizontal cross plate connecting the tops of the side plates in advance of and adjacent to the radiator but spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned horizontal cross plate; and a radiator cov-. er and grill forming a continuation of the arched plate over the radiator and mounted upon the second horizontal cross plate, the air for the radiator passing under the second horizontal cross plate.

7. In a road roller or the like, a frame having an overhanging front end'and including spaced side plates provided with arcuate recesses in their front lower corners to accommodate a steering roll journaled in the overhanging front end of the frame, and having a motor radiator housed between the side frames in rear of and adjacent the said recesses; reinforcing side structural bars secured along the lower edges of the side plates and terminating at the recesses; across structural bar connecting the front ends of the side bars at the lower ends of the recesses; an arcuate cross plate connecting the side plates coextensive with the recesses to close the lower front end of the frame; and a horizontally disposed cross plate Y connecting the tops of the side plates at the overhanging front end of the frame to close the upper front end of the frame; said horizontal cross plate terminating short of the said radiator, thereby providing an air intake opening at the top of the frame for the passage of clean air to the radiator.

8. In a road roller as set forth in claim '7, said arcuate cross plate having an access opening therein; and a removable cover plate across said opening.

9[ In a road roller as set forth in claim '7, said,

radiator extending above the top of the side plates; an arched cover plate connecting the tops of the side plates in rear of the radiator; a second horizontal cross plate connecting the tops of the side plates in advance of and adjacent to the radiator but spaced rearwardly of the first mentioned horizontal cross plate; and a radiator cover and grill forming a continuation of the arched plate over the radiator and mounted upon the second horizontal cross plate, the air for the radi-- ator passing under the second horizontal cross plate.

CARL F. GREINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,546,119 Davis July 14, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 389,344 Great Britain Mar. 16, 1933 

